01. She Loved Me — 3:45
02. Chico's Song — 4:03
03. Come Home — 3:36
04. I Believe — 5:07
05. Hard Luck — 5:32
06. Open Letter (To Whom It May Concern) — 4:14
07. I Can't Take Her Nowhere — 4:14
08. Leaving Mood — 3:39
09. She's Too Much — 3:53
10. You're A Good Woman — 4:11
11. Earnestine — 3:30
12. Do I Move You? — 3:51
13. Can't Hold Out — 4:20
14. Not Gonna Worry — 5:37

Toronzo Cannon - Guitar, Producer, Vocals
Marty Binder - Drums
Lawrence Gladney - Guitar (Rhythm)
Roosevelt Purifoy - Fender Rhodes, Organ, Piano
Matthew Skoller - Harmonica
Steve Wagner - Mixing, Producer
Carl Weathersby - Guitar
Larry Williams – Bass

Growing up in the shadows of Chicago's blues mecca, Theresa's Lounge had a lasting effect on Toronzo Cannon. He'd listen to the raw, soulful sounds of legends like Junior Wells, Buddy Guy and Muddy Waters. This led him to pick up his first guitar as a teenager and learn to sing and play the sounds he heard. Inspired by the 3 Kings (Freddie, B. B. & Albert), a little Hendrix and some 70s r&b/soul, Toronzo soon developed his own powerful, gospel-flavored vocal style and electrifying stage presence. ---Editorial Reviews, amazon.com

Chances are you never heard of Chicago blues guitarist Toronzo Cannon but that’s okay because he’s probably never heard of you either. When it comes to blues, he’s a relatively late bloomer, having grown up in a blues-endowed South Chicago neighborhood where an uncle occasionally subbed on drums for Buddy Guy and Junior Wells at Theresa’s, a nearby, now legendary blues outpost. It wasn’t until Cannon was close to 30 when he played his first blues gig and has been increasingly more active on the scene ever since.

On his Delmark debut and third disc overall, he shows that he can hold his own with his more famous Windy City brethren. Though his music may have elements of classic Chicago blues, such as the lively, upbeat tempos and titantic guitar sound, it’s also has elements of today’s sound as well. Most of the arrangements have a throttling, toe-tapping funky edge (“Baby Girl”), though it’s a far cry from the in-your-face funk attacks from New Orleans’ Papa Grows Funk and Dumpstaphunk. In between verses, Cannon launches terrific, sometimes screaming solos that aren’t overly notey and don’t stray into ridiculous wanky histrionics but are developed tastefully to reach an apex of emotion.

The fact that he doesn’t overplay his solos keeps the listener locked into the engaging story lines (“Earnestine”), some of which stem from observing life in a bus driver’s seat, his day job (“She Loved Me”). On “Open Letter (To Whom It May Concern),” Cannon cleverly uses an attention-getting dirty mic as if he were speaking through a distorted megaphone at a street rally. “Leaving Mood” is even better— Roosevelt Purifoy’s suspense-mounting keys hints at a showdown, only to end with thundering gunshot as the suicidal protagonist pulls the trigger for the last time. “Chico’s Song” pays homage to the late great Chico Banks, whose friendship meant a lot to a young budding bluesman in a dog-eat-dog scene. With this solid release in hand, Cannon’s a bluesman worth knowing. ---San Willging, driftwoodmagazine.wordpress.com

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01. The Pain Around Me - 4:45
02. Bad Contract - 3:50
03. Walk It Off - 5:54
04. Fine Seasoned Woman - 3:29
05. Jealous Love - 4:27
06. Midlife Crisis - 4:09
07. Chickens Comin' Home To Roost - 5:15
08. Strength To Survive - 5:28
09. When Will You Tell Him About Me? - 4:29
10. Mrs. From Mississippi - 4:18
11. I Am - 5:25

Toronzo Cannon - Composer, Guitars, Producer, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Blaise Barton - Mixing, Percussion
Brother John Kattke - Horn Arrangements, Keyboards, Organ (Hammond), Piano
Melvin "Pookie Stix" Carlisle -Drums
Robert Collazo - Sax (Baritone)
Doug Corcoran - Trumpet
Steve Eisen - Sax (Tenor)
Pete Galanis - Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
Melon "Honeydew" Lewis - Vocals (Background)
Larry Williams – Bass

Chicago born and bred blues guitarist/singer/songwriter Toronzo Cannon keeps the city’s blues flame blazing with The Chicago Way. Playing all self-penned material, Toronzo’s lyrics sting just as hard as his fretwork, and his singing resonates instantly with a gruff soulfulness that begs for repeated listening. From frisky shuffles and hard blues to buttery ballads and funky R&B, Toronzo Cannon blends all flavors of Chicago blues and makes them his own. “Deep, contemporary Chicago blues...razor-sharp guitar and compelling, forceful singing” ---Chicago Tribune, alligator.com

At a time when people wonder if the blues is finally dead, Alligator keeps finding and recording the next generation of young blues greats. In recent years, they have given us young guitar slingers like Selwyn Birchwood and Jarekus Singleton. And now another guitarist closer to home, Toronzo Cannon. The Chicago Way marks the Alligator debut of the next great bluesman.

Besides New Orleans, there is no roots live music scene in this country as competitive as Chicago. And Cannon has been working the clubs for 15 years while driving a Chicago Transit Authority bus by day. He didn’t pick up a guitar until he was 22. But he grew up in one of the roughest neighborhood in America near the infamous Robert Taylor Homes and as a kid he would stand outside the famous Theresa’s Lounge, soaking up the blues of Junior Wells and Buddy Guy. By 28, he was working as a sideman for other artists, honing his craft as a searing left hand guitarist.

On The Chicago Way you can see the emergence of a soulful singer and first class storyteller. The album consists of 11 Cannon originals. Cannon does not just recycle what electric blues has been doing for 80 years. He writes about what he sees and tells stories of common experiences in uncommon ways. Stories about real people. And then there is the powerhouse last track entitled “I Am” which is one of the strongest, most hypnotic songs written in years. A song that transcends the blues. It is just a perfect song.

Toronzo Cannon proves that the blues is alive and well in the 21st century. This is not the 12th million version of “Sweet Home Chicago.” Toronzo sings and writes about real life on the streets. Kudos once again to the great job being done by Alligator and its head, Bruce Iglauer. ---Tom Callahan, blurtonline.com

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1 	John The Conquer Root 	6:17
2 	I've Been Doing Fine 	5:40
3 	Cold World 	5:06
4 	Gentle Reminder 	5:05
5 	If You're Woman Enough To Leave Me 	4:04
6 	Shame 	4:47
7 	You Made Me This Way 	5:55
8 	Been Better To You 	4:36
9 	Big Ray Bop 	5:10
10 	Let It Shine Always 	3:06
11 	Sweet, Sweet, Sweet 	4:51
12 	Root To The Fruit ... She's Mine (Reprise) 	2:51

Toronzo Cannon - Vocals, Lead Guitar
Roosevelt Purifoy – Organ, Piano
Lawrence Gladney - Rhythm Guitar
BJ Jones - Drums
Joanna Connor – Guitar (10,11), Vocals (10)
Omar Coleman – Harmonica (1,6,9)
Dave Forte – Bass (2, 7, 9, 11)
Larry Williams – Bass (2)
Jerry DiMuzio – Baritone Saxophone (3,8)
Dudley Owens – Tenor Saxophone (3,8)
Kenny Anderson – Trumpet (3,8)
Norman Palm – Trombone (3,8)
Mike Wheeler – Vocals (10)
Kay Reed, Theresa Davis, Vanessa Holmes - Backing Vocals (3, 12)

From his seat at the helm of his CTA bus, Toronzo Cannon gets a unique daily view of the mean streets of Chicago. By night, our intrepid driver turns into a bluesman extraordinaire, melding the details of what he has witnessed and the wisdom gained from his experiences into cutting contemporary blues songs that stick with you through repeated listens. Delivered with his impassioned voice and razor-sharp guitar playing, Cannon continues to prove that blues music is not a dying art form.

On the first three tracks of his second release for Delmark Records, you quickly get an in-depth look at the scope of his artistry. Opening with the title track, Cannon offers a searing update of the traditional mojo theme complete with distorted, wailing guitar that would make Jimi Hendrix proud. Next up is a strong shuffle rhythm on “I’ve Been Doing Fine” with Cannon taking great delight in telling a departed love to stay gone. Then he summons up the spirits of Tyrone Davis and Otis Clay on the rousing “Cold World”, complete with a four piece horn section and strong vocal support from Kay Reed, Theresa Davis and Vanessa Holmes. When Cannon lets out a gritty shout mid-song and follows it with a melodic solo, you are hooked.

For a good-looking bluesman, Cannon seems to have an excessive amount of woman trouble. “If You’re Woman Enough to Leave Me” finds him standing tall as he makes it clear to a cheating woman that they are through, driving the message home with two solos full of sharp edges. Roosevelt Purifoy does double duty on “You Made Me This Way”, switching between piano and organ on the slow burner as Cannon points the finger in the other direction to explain his own indiscretions, finishing with a surprising twist on the standard cheating sagas. The horns return for “Been Better to You” but their presence is no consolation of the singer, weary of the lack of attention from a money-grabbing woman but unable to escape her clutches. He finds solace in the fiery runs he wrings out of his guitar.

Lawrence Gladney on rhythm guitar, Brian “BJ” Jones on drums and Dave Forte on bass set a ferocious pace on “Sweet, Sweet, Sweet” for the blistering slide attack from guest Joanna Connor. “Shame” tackles some of the enduring problems of life in the modern world with Omar Coleman adding some eerier harp tones. Coleman is featured again on “Big Ray Bop”, which pays tribute to a fixture at a Chicago nightspot who had a fondness for blues shuffles.

Cannon delivers a fervent sermon on what means to be a bluesman on “Gentle Reminder” while unleashing another powerful guitar assault. Connor and Mike Wheeler join Cannon for another highlight, ”Let It Shine Always”, done in a gentle, acoustic format with the three singers offering different views of man dealing with the issue of mortality. The disc closes with the instrumental “Root to the Fruit…She’s Mine (Reprise)”. Cannon gives his over-driven guitar a final tortured workout over Larry Williams’ deep bass line, bringing you full circle back to the title track.

The all-original program highlights Cannon’s skill as a songwriter. He has a knack for seeing the road less obvious, for adding an unexpected viewpoint or outcome that keeps things exciting and fresh. Mix in his exceptional vocals and incendiary guitar playing and you have a formidable package that belies any notion of the “sophomore slump”. Bob Koester and the folks at Delmark Records should be commended for giving this talented musician another opportunity to share his many talents with a wider audience. Toronzo Cannon is the real deal and this one comes highly recommended! ---Mark Thompson, bluesblastmagazine.com

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